1. Discussion of Prior Art
There is an unmet need for a flexible, low cost display system as the vast majority of display materials rely on relatively expensive, technically complex systems to render an image. While there has been considerable innovation in the development of television technology (e.g., the cathode ray tube) many of these innovations have been confined to improvement in the performance of the electronics and materials needed to improve the quality of the generated images. The exception has been the development of xe2x80x9cflat screenxe2x80x9d technology, as well as liquid crystal (LCD) displays. Nevertheless these technologies all share a focus on the xe2x80x9chigh endxe2x80x9d of the imaging spectrum. Other display technologies, such as mechanical-based xe2x80x9cflipxe2x80x9d signs (such as those found along highways and at construction sites) rely on a simpler but bulky technology to produce both static and dynamic images.
2. Advantages Over Prior Art
All known prior art related to thermochromic systems is basically restricted to very simple, passively based systems designed to indicate a change in response to an imposed stimulus. Furthermore, prior art in which the chromatic material is used in displays are typically constrained to relatively flat, well defined surfaces and geometries in compliance with standard administration, techniques, and protocols presently used to deliver information to the display unit. Power consumption, particularly in large area display systems, is yet another limitation apparent in the present art. The present invention provides a unique means for actively changing both the color and visual composition the chromic based materials by selectively distributing a relevant source of energy: selectively cooling or heating a textile material treated with chromic materials permits the generation and subsequent manipulation of a wide of variety of images.
The present invention permits the manufacture of distinctive media which can be used in a variety of critical and commercial applications. Texture, color, tone, and animation are all fundamental important elements in creating an effective display. The present invention provides a significant advantage over prior art inasmuch as it permits each of these elements to be adjusted for optimal effectiveness and transmission of the display information. Another advantage of the present invention is the ability to implement the invention using inexpensive input materials. Conventional printing processes, such as halftone printing and silk screening, are both 100% compatible with distributing the active display matrix onto or into the fibrous material.
The invention provides the further subjective advantage over the prior art of permitting a new aesthetic through which information and images can be communicated in an interesting and attractive way. The single most critical function of any display system is to attract the attention of the viewer and effectively communicate the desired information to the viewer. Given that the prior art generally consists of known means of displaying information (e.g., flat screen displays, monitors, digital signs, LED panels, printed posters and billboards) the present invention provides a means of displaying information in an unconventional way. The present invention provides a practical and economical means for realizing a host of new applications, including fabrics and reusable paperboard displays containing both static and animated manipulation of images and information.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a means for establishing and controlling a desired image on a material that is both conformal and flexible by nature.
The foregoing and other objects are achieved by an invention which enables the fabrication of a new generation of low cost, flexible, and highly novel display materials wherein images can be statically or dynamically rendered on a variety of non-traditional display materials. The invention enables a new means of conveying animated information and images without the use of considerably more costly, complex, and rigid devices such as liquid crystal displays, cathode ray tubes (CRTs), light emitting diode (LED) displays, and mechanically based display systems. The combination of low cost and material flexibility allows for the conception of a range of hitherto unavailable suite of technologies and products.